Advice Needed: Gear in Paris

[sooner]

Hi All,

I'm totally psyched to say I'm going to Paris in March, and am wondering what to take. Thinking of my Konica slr for the wide angle lenses (sorry) and one of my rangefinders, of course, for street shooting. I'm thinking slide film in the slr for big vista shots and b&w film in the rangefinder (either my Oly RC or Canon GIII) for street and interiors. Any suggestions on film, i.e. HP5 versus Neopan 1600? Any suggestions on Paris itself? Thanks in advance....John.

 

[jaapv]

This advice has been given before: Take the film you're comfortable with and don't experiment. Nice place to go to. My favorite hangout is around the Boulevard Saint Michel (near the Notre Dame on the other side of the river) I love the atmosphere there, much nicer than the (imo) overrated and somewhat touristy Montmartre. Maybe it is because I lived in the Rue de Grenelle for a year in a faraway 🙄 youth.

 

[Kevin]

Paris-Texas or Paris-France ?

 

[cbass]

Timely request...my wife and I are going on holiday to Paris for five days this spring (first week of April) so I'll be following this thread with interest. 🙂

John, if it helps here is the minimalist photo gear I plan to take with me: Bessa R with 35/2.5 & 25/4 and a small Sony W-5 digital P&S. I'll be shooting Kodak UC400 for color and maybe a roll or two of chromogenic B&W. A tabletop tripod and 9" cable release for night shooting round out the kit.

Jaapv offers good advice. A holiday is not he ideal time to learn to use new equipment. Also, consider the purpose of your trip and who your traveling companions will be. Bring lots of gear if you are going solely for photographic purposes. However, if your trip is to be a family holiday then you may want to bring only one or two of your most versatile cameras so that you don't inadvertently burden the rest of your group.

Others have advised me that many Paris museums and similar indoor attractions will permit photography but ban the use of flash and/or tripods so you might be able to leave that kind of gear at home. Also, I have read that early morning light is best for photographing the Notre Dame Cathedral. If your hotel is nearby you can walk there, shoot, and be back in time for cafe au lait!

Enjoy your trip! 🙂

 

[sooner]

Kevin, I'm not sure how to interpret your question, but the answer is Paris, France. Be aware some--even dim-witted Americans like me--might take offense at your suggestion that I could get excited about a trip to Paris, Texas. FWIW, I lived in Europe for almost five years as a kid, and in fact spent my 10th birthday in Paris, France, where I first watched the original Star Wars...in English, no less. So although not unfamiliar with Paris, I value the advice and perspective of fellow RFFers and those who may have spent more time more recently there.

 

[Honus]

Sooner,

I spent a few days in Paris last summer and had a wonderful time. It is correct that you can photograph in the museums sans flash. The early morning and early evening light is spectacular. I would agree that you should use the film and gear you are most comfortable with. At the time, I was without RF (horrors), and used a Leica Digilux 2. Most of my keeper were shot with a 28mm focal length equivalent, fwiw.

I love Paris, but you can't beat Norman on a fall Saturday afternoon! Boomer Sooner 😀

 

[2Manycameras]

Hi All,

I'm totally psyched to say I'm going to Paris in March, and am wondering what to take. Thinking of my Konica slr for the wide angle lenses (sorry) and one of my rangefinders, of course, for street shooting. I'm thinking slide film in the slr for big vista shots and b&w film in the rangefinder (either my Oly RC or Canon GIII) for street and interiors. Any suggestions on film, i.e. HP5 versus Neopan 1600? Any suggestions on Paris itself? Thanks in advance....John.

First off, best wishes for a memorable trip. I have fond memories of a four day weekend that was all too short.

I agree with what others said about equipment and film...this isn't a time to experiment. Just take the bare necessities. Are your RF's all fixed lens? If not take one body and two lenses and film you are used to using. I've tried taking a full bag on a vacation and all but one body and one lens stayed in the hotel because I was too busy being a tourist!

 

[Kevin]

Kevin, I'm not sure how to interpret your question, but the answer is Paris, France. Be aware some--even dim-witted Americans like me--might take offense at your suggestion that I could get excited about a trip to Paris, Texas. FWIW, I lived in Europe for almost five years as a kid, and in fact spent my 10th birthday in Paris, France, where I first watched the original Star Wars...in English, no less. So although not unfamiliar with Paris, I value the advice and perspective of fellow RFFers and those who may have spent more time more recently there.

Sorry, but the last time I gave equipment advice to an rff-member who was looking for the right camera to take on his "travels" really meant his business "commute."

I was just making sure.

On my last trip to Paris I took my Hexar AF and my Leica M6 with 2 lenses. If one camera breaks down you always have another to use. If you like color and b&w you have no need to change film mid-roll.

Have a wonderful trip.
Kevin

 

[pau3]

When you get to Paris you might consider to take some night shots.
So I would suggest Neopan 1600 rather than HP5. You will get more
shadow detail. And Neopan is really nice.

 

[sooner]

Thanks for the comments, all. Unfortunately the only non-fixed lens RF I own is a Zorki 4k, but alas I only have the J8 for it, hence the need for my slr with a nice 24mm wide. Good to know about shooting in the museums, I'll plan for that.

 

[Kevin]

Liberté toujours.
Plan on staying forever.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I wouldn't take any super fast film with. If you need it, I'm sure you'll be able to buy in there. Reason? Hassles at airports. Take, however, a respectable bunch of ISO 100 & 400 ffilm (namely a "pushable" kind), and, if you have, a fast lens. In fact, I'd take the SLR with a fast wide angle, and as the RF camera I'd pick a Canonet. Grab NOT chromogenic film, but real B&W instead, because you can push it one or two stops (and will get wonderfully grainy pics).

I'd be green with envy if I weren't going to Europe this summer myself. However, it won't be Paris, but Nürnberg, which isn't too bad.

Enjoy your trip and bring back lots of pics! 🙂

 

[kaiyen]

You got a pretty good mix of advice so far. Not sure what I can really offer except to relay my own experience...

I went to Paris in November for 7 days. I took _only_ 2 Canonets. For film, I brought:

-20 rolls of TXT
-8 rolls of Delta 3200
-5 rolls of Kodak 400UC
-7 rolls of Konica 1600
-3 rolls of Reala (all I happened to have left)

I stuck with film I knew. I rated TXT from 400 to 3200 as needed, with the Delta as backup for some serious pushing if needed. I had only the 40mm lens on the Canonets. Despite this simple setup, I had a great time and the results are terrific.
allan

 

[mikebrice@mac.c]

I went to Paris last summer and I used the MP and the 35/2 and the 50/2, and that's it. I had my D2X and an assortment of lenses, but I enjoyed the city much more with just a camera and a few rolls of film. I shot some color and black and white. Now, I would take the Bessa R2A as well and keep a lens on each and color in one and black and white in the other, and leave all the digital gear at home.

 

[Alec]

Kevin, I'm not sure how to interpret your question, but the answer is Paris, France. Be aware some--even dim-witted Americans like me--might take offense at your suggestion that I could get excited about a trip to Paris, Texas.

Actually a motion picture entitled "Paris, Texas", mostly shot on location by a German, won the Golden Palm at the (French) Cannes film festival.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087884/
Hey, I am not implying that anyone here should look like a character played by Harry Dean Stanton! :angel:

John,
More to the point : don't overload yourself, don't be a nuisance to your fellow-travellers if any, and do read the Michelin Green Guide before you move.

You can (still) buy quite an assortment of B&W, color neg and slide 135 film, mostly from high street chain stores (Fnac, Photo Service, Photo Station and the like). Most will provide decent one-hour C41 process, a few one-hour E6. Forget about commercial B&W.

Prepare to brush up your French. I hate to admit it, but most of my countrymen & women enjoy seeing foreigners struggle with a few words of French and coming to their rescue in broken English. So at least pretend to try (except in luxury places like four-star hotels or Louis Vuitton shops).

And, after that... well... beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I am sure you could bring interesting results from a f:4 135mm lens and HP5. The caveats about museums are true: you are allowed to take pictures in some of them, but almost never with a tripod or flash.

And, above all, welcome! 🙂

 

[Kevin]

Vive la France!

 

[vincentbenoit]

I'm totally psyched to say I'm going to Paris in March, and am wondering what to take.

Hmm... French lessons?

Sorry. 😛

Vincent

 

[Alec]

Oh yes, lest you forget: En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil - weather is liable to be cold.

 

[sf]

In March, you'll have decent lighting . . .I'd take the Hp5 over the Neopan, probably. Especially since you have the lens speed for it.

And for the SLR, if you are not taking a tripod around with you, Provia 400F is a good one. I used it extensively in Paris this Christmas, and it was great. I suggest using films with the best speed/grain balance. Neopan has very little grain for its speed, but the Hp5 looks better, in my opinion. The Neopan, I think, is a little less forgiving than the Hp5 too.

Don't miss Montmartre. I just did lots of walking through the city, nowhere in particular, but my best shots are just things that I came across while walking around. Everyone has pics of the tower, or the river, or the louvre . . you would probably find it most interesting to just start out at the tower and walk to montmartre, then just wander aimlessly around the city. Easy to get lost with those funny street angles.

Enjoy. Provide us with some nice pics.

 

[vincentbenoit]

Thanks for the comments, all. Unfortunately the only non-fixed lens RF I own is a Zorki 4k, but alas I only have the J8 for it, hence the need for my slr with a nice 24mm wide. Good to know about shooting in the museums, I'll plan for that.

Why not go HCB-style (sort of)? Put the Jupiter-8 on the Zorki, load it with Tri-X, and you're set. You might even get a killer shot which would qualify for the RFF contest...

Vincent